Barge construction

ABSTRACT

A barge construction having a plurality of vertically stacked decks including a top open deck surrounded by a peripheral retaining wall, each deck comprising a plurality of decking sections each including a pair of channel shaped outer rails, a pair of I-beam inner rails, flooring on the top of each rail, Ibeam crossmember sections, lifting bars at each corner of the floor section and access holes at each corner of the flooring and above the lifting bar, the top deck and the below deck section each being held in position by shelf bracket assemblies mounted removably in holes drilled through the inner walls of the barge, each bracket assembly including a support angle and a pair of studs mounting the support angle to the inner wall of the barge, a lifting handle being mounted on a triangular gusset perpendicularly mounted on the angle member, and locating cones projecting up from the angle member for tieing adjacent decking sections together, the studs having eccentric heads that pass through holes in the angle member and the barge wall and lock the shelf bracket assembly in place on the barge inner wall with the locating cones aiding in spacing the decking sections properly when installing them in the barge.

United States Patent 1 1 Glassmeyer BARGE CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventor; John Joseph Glassmeyer, Covirigton,

[73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Feb. 6, 1974 [211 App]. No; 440,094

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant ExaminerStuart M, Goldstein Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard J. Myers 1 June 17, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT A barge construction having a plurality of vertically stacked decks including a top open deck surrounded by a peripheral retaining wall, each deck comprising a plurality of decking sections each including a pair of channel shaped outer rails, a pair of l-beam inner rails, flooring on the top of each rail, l-beam crossmember sections, lifting bars at each corner of the floor section and access holes at each corner of the flooring and above the lifting bar, the top deck and the below deck section each being held in position by shelf bracket assemblies mounted removably in holes through the inner walls of the barge, each bracket assembly including a support angle and a pair of studs mounting the support angle to the inner wall of the barge, a lifting handle being mounted on a triangular gusset perpendicularly mounted on the angle member, and locating cones projecting up from the angle member for tieing adjacent decking sections together, the studs having eccentric heads that pass through holes in the angle member and the barge wall and lock the shelf bracket assembly in place on the barge inner wall with the locating cones aiding in spacing the decking sections properly when installing them in the barge,

12 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures drilled HESS-B19 SHEET PATENTEDJUN 17 I915 1 BARGE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to construction of marine barges and in particular relates to the deck construction and arrangement of such barges, and to a system for installing the decking to permit transportation of automobiles and to permit diverse types of cargo to be hauled.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has heretofore been known to have various types of barges for hauling of cargo but the instant invention proposes to overcome the difficulty of quick loading and unloading of various cargo transported in the barges at different deck levels. The invention proposes removing the decking to unload the various levels within the barge.

SUMMARY It is a general objective of this invention to provide for components and a system for quickly installing cargo bearing decking in a marine barge and for easily removing such cargo and decking when required.

It is another objective of this invention to provide for a plurality of vertically spaced decks including an open top deck and several lower decks wherein each deck includes a plurality of removable decking sections spaced adjacent one another longitudinally of the barge and supported by removable shelf bracket assemblies, each assembly coupling adjacent decking sections.

It is another objective of this invention to provide for a marine barge deck arrangement to permit economical transport ofa maximum number of automobiles and secondly to permit diverse types of cargo to be hauled simultaneously on the same barge, for instance, bulk cargo could be loaded in the bottom of the barge and lumber. cars. etc., could be loaded on an upper deck or decks.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from reference to the following description, appended claims and attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view ofa marine barge;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a decking section used on each of the decks of the barge;

FIG. 3 is a broken plan view of the barge;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the barge taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 99 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference now to the drawings and in particular with reference to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a marine or river barge I which is provided with sides 2, bow 3,

stem 4, bottom 40 (see FIG. 4), an outer top deck 5, and an upper and outer peripheral cargo retaining wall 6 defining a clear cargo loading opening 7 as defined by inner below top deck peripheral bulkhead structure 8 (see FIGS. 4 and 6-9) in vertical alignment and integral with the outer retaining wall or bulkhead 6. The interior bulkhead structure defines the cargo containing hold and includes a plurality of vertically stacked cargo bearing decks, namely the bottom cargo deck 9 containing pulverant material 10, a below top deck or intermediate cargo deck 11 containing containers 12 of various packaged cargo, and an on top or outer cargo deck 13 carrying automobiles 14. The decking sections 11 and 13 are of the same construction and, depending on the height of the barges hold, any number of vertically stacked decking sections 11 can be used. The decks 11 or 13 are held in position in the barge l by shelf bracket assemblies 15 (see FIGS. 3 and 69) mounted removably in holes 16a (FIGS. 6, S) drilled in the inner wall of bulkhead structure 8. Each deck 11 or 13 being identical in construction to the other, the description is directed to the construction of top cargo deck 13 which is composed of a plurality of laterally elongated and extending removable decking sections 16, each of which is independently supported by the shelf assemblies 15. Each decking section 16 has its length extending cross-wise of the barge. Each decking section 16 (see FIGS. 2 and 5-7) has a pair of steel structural channel shaped outer side or longitudina rails 17 that go crosswise of the barge, a pair of structural steel I-beam inner rails 18, steel plate flooring 19, a plurality of structural steel l-beam crossmember sections 20, a steel lifting bar 21 at each corner for facilitating removal of the decking section 16, and an access hole 22a at each corner.

Each decking 16 is coupled to its neighbor decking section 16 through the coupling of a shelf assembly 15 (see FIG. 7) which includes a structural steel angle member or coupler 22 with a vertical flange or wall 23 against the bulkhead structure 8 and a horizontal flange, support wall or floor 24 for carrying ends of the adjacent or neighboring decking sections 16, 16. Each shelf bracket assembly or decking section support unit 15 further includes a pair of books or studs 25, 25 which at their inner ends 26 are held by welds w to vertical wall 23 and at their outer ends 27 are provided each with an eccentric head 28 which has its lower end portion 29 extending down below the shaft portion 30 of the stud 25. The diameter of the head 28 is slightly less than the diameter of the hole for removal of the angle member 22 from the wall structure 8 when desired; but otherwise the angle member 22 is held on the wall structure 8 by the heads 28 extending below the holes 16a, 160. On the top plate portion or horizontal flange 24 are mounted and projecting up a pair of locating cones 31, 31 receivable in the apertures 32, 32 in the ends of bottom of the crossmembers 20, 20 of neighboring decking sections 16,16 (see FIG. 7). Each assembly 15 is provided with a lifting handle 33 mounted on a vertical triangular gusset 34 attached to the underside of the angle member or coupler 22.

By such an arrangement as described above it can readily be seen that a plurality of decking sections so constructed and installed in this unique barge hold arrangement permits easy removal and quick assemblage of one or more such decking sections in the barge.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto. except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including:

a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck.

a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening,

each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening,

each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo,

a plurality of bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening, each one of said bracket means including a vertical wall having a pair of hook means and a horizontal wall sup porting the end of the decking section of a cargo deck adjacent the bulkhead means,

said bulkhead means having a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along said bulkhead means at each level of said cargo deck, and

each one of the pairs of apertures being disposed for removably receiving the pair of hook means of a bracket means so that said bulkhead means carries the bracket means and the horizontal wall of the bracket means supports the end of the decking section of a cargo deck.

2. The invention according to claim 1, and

at least one of said bracket means of a cargo deck having coupling means on the horizontal wall coupling with an end of a respective decking section and limiting horizontal movement of the respective decking section.

3. The invention according to claim 1, and

the horizontal wall of at least one bracket means of a cargo deck supporting ends of two adjacent deck ing sections.

4. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including:

a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck,

a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening,

each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening,

each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo,

bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means,

said bracket means having coupling means on the horizontal wall coupling with ends of neighboring decking sections and limiting horizontal movement of the neighboring decking sections,

the horizontal wall of said bracket means supporting ends of neighboring decking sections and said coupling means including two upright members extending up from the horizontal wall,

one upright member extending through an end of one decking section, and

the other upright member extending through an end of another neighboring decking section.

5. The invention according to claim 1, and

each decking section of a cargo deck supported by respective bracket means of said bracket means,

a hand hold bar on each corner area of each decking section and accessible from the top of each corner area of each decking section for setting the decking section on the respective bracket means of the cargo deck and for removing the decking section from the respective bracket means thereof.

6. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including:

a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck,

a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening,

each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening,

each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo,

bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means,

said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction.

each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level ofa cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of hori zontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck,

said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of apertures of a bulkhead for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead,

said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and

the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.

7. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including:

a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck,

a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening,

each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening,

each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo,

bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means,

said bulkhead means being provided with aperture means,

said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead means for holding the hook means on the bulkhead means, and

the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead means.

8. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including:

a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck,

a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening,

each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relationship to one another within the openmg,

each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo,

bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means,

said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction,

each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level ofa cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck,

said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and

the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.

9. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including:

vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck,

a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening,

each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening,

each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo,

bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means,

said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge constructron,

each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of aperture means spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck,

said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of aperture means of the bulkhead of a cargo deck for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead of the cargo deck,

said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead for holding the hook means on the bulkhead, and

the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead.

10. The invention according to claim 1, and

said bulkhead means having an inside,

a cargo deck having opposed bracket means of said bracket means,

each decking section including an elongated generally rectangular section with the lengthwise portion of the elongated section extending crosswise of the length of the barge construction and having its lateral ends coupling with the opposed bracket means of the cargo deck disposed on the inside of the bulkhead means,

each decking section being provided with outside longitudinal side beam members and crossbeam members connecting with the side beam members, and deck flooring being on top of the side beam members and crossbeam members.

11. The invention according to claim 7, and

said enlarged head means having a portion extending down below the rest of the hook means and engaging the bulkhead means for retaining the bracket means hooked on the bulkhead means.

12. The invention according to claim 1, and

at least one of said bracket means having lifting handle means. 

1. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, a plurality of bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening, each one of said bracket means including a vertical wall having a pair of hook means and a horizontal wall supporting the end of the decking section of a cargo deck adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means having a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along said bulkhead means at each level of said cargo deck, and each one of the pairs of apertures being disposed for removably receiving the pair of hook means of a bracket means so that said bulkhead means carries the bracket means and the horizontal wall of the bracket means supports the end of the decking section of a cargo deck.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, and at least one of said bracket means of a cargo deck having coupling means on the horizontal wall coupling with an end of a respective decking section and limiting horizontal movement of the respective decking section.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, and the horizontal wall of at least one bracket means of a cargo deck supporting ends of two adjacent decking sections.
 4. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bracket means having coupling means on the horizontal wall coupling with ends of neighboring decking sections and limiting horizontal movement of the neighboring decking sections, the horizontal wall of said bracket means supporting ends of neighboring decking sections and said coupling means including two upright members extending up from the horizontal wall, one upright member extending through an end of one decking section, and the other upright member extending through an end of another neighboring decking section.
 5. The invention according to claim 1, and each decking section of a cargo deck supported by respective bracket means of said bracket means, a hand hold bar on each corner area of each decking section and accessible from the top of each corner area of each decking section for setting the decking section on the respective bracket means of the cargo deck and for removing the decking section from the respective bracket meAns thereof.
 6. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another with the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck, said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of apertures of a bulkhead for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead, said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.
 7. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means being provided with aperture means, said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead means for holding the hook means on the bulkhead means, and the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead means.
 8. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relationship to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of apertures spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections At each level of the cargo deck, said horizontal wall of each bracket means having a pair of upright guide members, one guide member extending through an end of one decking section of a cargo deck, and the other guide member extending through an adjacent decking section of the cargo deck and limiting horizontal movement of the adjacent decking sections.
 9. In a barge construction a cargo hold arrangement including: a flat top outer deck having a cargo opening and a vertical bulkhead means about and defining the opening below the top outer deck, a plurality of vertically stacked cargo decks in the opening, each cargo deck having a plurality of removable decking sections in horizontal side by side neighboring relation to one another within the opening, each decking section having ends and being comprised of a beaming structure and a floor for supporting cargo, bracket means for supporting each of the decking sections within the opening and including a vertical wall having hook means removably received in the bulkhead means and a horizontal wall supporting the ends of the decking sections adjacent the bulkhead means, said bulkhead means including a pair of spaced bulkheads extending lengthwise of the barge construction, each bulkhead being provided with a plurality of pairs of aperture means spaced horizontally along the bulkhead at each level of a cargo deck for receiving bracket means for supporting a plurality of horizontally extending decking sections at each level of the cargo deck, said hook means of the bracket means including a pair of studs extending through a respective pair of aperture means of the bulkhead of a cargo deck for carrying the bracket means on the bulkhead of the cargo deck, said hook means having enlarged head means extending down and catching on the bulkhead for holding the hook means on the bulkhead, and the size of the aperture means being sufficient to allow the head means to pass therethrough when uncoupling the bracket means from the bulkhead.
 10. The invention according to claim 1, and said bulkhead means having an inside, a cargo deck having opposed bracket means of said bracket means, each decking section including an elongated generally rectangular section with the lengthwise portion of the elongated section extending crosswise of the length of the barge construction and having its lateral ends coupling with the opposed bracket means of the cargo deck disposed on the inside of the bulkhead means, each decking section being provided with outside longitudinal side beam members and crossbeam members connecting with the side beam members, and deck flooring being on top of the side beam members and crossbeam members.
 11. The invention according to claim 7, and said enlarged head means having a portion extending down below the rest of the hook means and engaging the bulkhead means for retaining the bracket means hooked on the bulkhead means.
 12. The invention according to claim 1, and at least one of said bracket means having lifting handle means. 